Singapore launches the Singapore Alliance for Sustainable Palm Oil

The RSPO is excited to announce the forming of the Singapore Alliance for Sustainable Palm Oil which was launched on Monday, June 27. The alliance was established following the successful WWF-Singapore “We Breath What We Buy” Campaign in 2015, which reached over 20 million of people globally. The campaign sent out a strong message to create awareness of the link between the slash and burn practices used in the production of palm oil and haze pollution.

For Darrel Webber, CEO of RSPO, “the Singapore Alliance for Palm Oil Sustainability sends a powerful signal that the nation is firmly committed to become a leader in sustainable palm oil consumption. RSPO sees this as a huge potential to unleash investment and innovation in a bigger scale. We are looking forward to work closely with the Singapore Alliance for Sustainable Palm Oil to raise the awareness of sustainable palm oil within Singapore. The initiative also provides the ASEAN region with the opportunity to make a difference.”

The founding members of the Singapore Alliance for Sustainable Palm Oil are Danone, IKEA, Unilever, Ayam Brand and Wildlife Reserves Singapore. The main objectives of setting up the alliance are to:

• Ensure availability of Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO) in Singapore
• Advocate for the production, trade and usage of sustainable palm oil through education and awareness activities
• Encourage policies that enable favourable conditions for the usage, trade and production of sustainable palm oil
• Advocate for sustainable palm oil supply chain improvements
• Monitor, report and communicate on collective progress

“The Alliance sends a clear signal to consumers about which companies are committed to sustainability and which are not,” said WWF-Singapore CEO Singapore Elaine Tan. “This is a timely opportunity for NGOs and businesses to work together towards transforming the palm oil industry.”

RSPO has high hopes that the initiative will attract and encourage other companies to switch to sustainable palm oil and to increase the uptake of CSPO by manufacturers and retailers in Singapore.